Artwork
Das Mittagsmahl
Das Mittagsmahl is an oil painting by the Biedermeier artist Friedrich Friedländer. It dates from 1870 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1870, *Das Mittagsmahl* is an oil painting that captures a quiet midday repast. The composition centers on an elderly couple seated at a wooden table, each holding a spoon, surrounded by a pitcher, bowl and mug. Warm browns and yellows dominate the palette, lending the scene a homely, intimate atmosphere.
Subject & Meaning
The work portrays a simple domestic ritual, emphasizing the companionship of the two figures. Their relaxed postures and gentle expressions suggest a shared routine and mutual affection, reflecting the Biedermeier interest in everyday middle‑class life and the quiet dignity of ordinary moments.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil on canvas, the painting displays meticulous brushwork and careful modeling of light on fabric and wood. The artist employs a restrained color scheme, with rich reds, greens and earth tones, while rendering textures—from the sheen of the pitcher to the folds of the woman's dress—with precise detail characteristic of Biedermeier realism.
History & Provenance
Friedrich Friedländer (1825–1901), a Bohemian‑born painter trained at the Vienna Academy under Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller, produced the piece after a career shift from historical subjects to genre scenes around 1854. The painting remained in private collections throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries before entering a public museum inventory in the mid‑20th century.
Context
*Das Mittagsmahl* belongs to the Biedermeier period, a time when artists focused on the private sphere and the comforts of bourgeois life. Friedländer’s earlier travels to Italy, Düsseldorf and Paris informed his technical skill, but the work aligns with the movement’s preference for modest, interior scenes that celebrate domestic stability.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Friedrich Friedländer, later Friedrich Ritter von Friedländer-Malheim (Mahlheim) (January 10, 1825 – June 13, 1901), was a Bohemian-Austrian painter.
